Vintage Port

Vintage Port accounts for only a fraction of the total Port production – which includes Tawny, Ruby, Late-Bottled Vintage and Single Quinta Vintage styles, among others – but is the finest, longest-lived and most expensive style around; the best are as good as any wine in existence. Made from a blend of wines from a producer's finest plots, it is aged for around 18 months in wooden casks, followed by at least 15 years ageing in bottle.

Learn more about Vintage Port

Vintage Port accounts for only a small percentage of the total Portproduction - which includes Tawny, Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage, Single Quinta Vintage styles, among others - but is the finest, longest-lived and most expensive style that is produced. The best are as good as any wine in existence.

With the exception of legendary vineyards like Quinta do Noval Nacional and Quinta do Vesuvio, Vintage Port is made from a blend of wines from a producer's finest plots. It is aged for around 18 months in wooden casks before bottling; from then on the watch-word is patience. At least 15 years ageing – and for the top wines it will be significantly longer – is required before the tannins, spirit and fruit are fully integrated. Indeed, the finest examples can last well over 50 years.

Vintage Port is only made in exceptional years (normally around three times per decade) with considerable stylistic variation between different years and shippers. However, they all share a sweet, warming, spicy richness, power and complexity. In other good but not great vintages, many shippers produce a Single Quinta Vintage Port from their finest vineyard. These are made in the same way and have the same style as Vintage Port but tend to mature faster and are less profound. All Vintage Port throws a sediment as it matures, and thus requires decanting.

Warm-hearted blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Sousão with a pronounced mineral character indicative of the Douro’s famous schist soils. It is sourced primarily from the south-facing Lamelas vineyard which is among the estate’s highest, hence its magical combination of ripeness and acidity. Expect aromas of red fruit, savoury spice and a well-judged hint of oak.Will Heslop - Buyer

Dark purplish crimson. Not much nose but very opulent prunes-in-chocolate palate entry with a dry, tingly exciting finish. This is good wine! Very long and exciting and with a relationship perhaps to the robotic lagar wine no. 15 described above. Again, this could be a wine that you could enjoy throughout its life. At the moment it is merely dramatic fruit juice but I think it will become quite subtle and, if not that, then certainly very rewarding. Again though, a little short.Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com

Graham produces one of the most concentrated and robust styles of Port. Their fame lies on their consistently sublime and sumptuously sweet vintage ports, such as this one from the excellent 1985 vintage of which Graham is the undisputed star among the Port houses. Bedazzling level of black-cherry fruit, massive structure, and staggering complexity and length. It is fully mature now, but will keep for further 5-8 years

The major share-holders here are, as usual, Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. Vargellas is located in the hotter eastern sector and it is significant that the selected grapes were farmed on the higher terraces, preserving acidity and balance in addition to the traditional aromatics of violet, ripe blackberry and herbs. Taylor is always a treat for senses and intellect alike, its synaesthetic appeal the fruits of ancient vines and traditional vinification. David Guimaraens, Head Winemaker, is delighted with the wine and praises both its grip and its overall complexity. We concur!(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Beautiful rich and complex nose. On palate quite dry; serious juxtaposition of the ripe and dried fruits with expansive tannins. Challenging, layered flavours and the promise of longevity. Very expressive and powerful.

It is not without reason that Fonseca is described as the Margaux of the Douro; its wines have a femininity and grace that never flatter to deceive. The 1997 is a perfect example; combining fresh aromatics and layers of berry fruit flavours with a firm but unobtrusive tannic structure. Enormously concentrated, and perfectly balanced this wine is archetypical Fonseca, proof, if proof were needed that David Guimaraens has inherited all of his father's legendary winemaking skills. Drink 2010 - 2050

Graham is renowned for producing one of the most dense and sweet styles of vintage port. Richness amd sumptuous character are the hallmarks of Graham.1977 offers an impressive bouquet of fragrances reminiscent of liquorice, plums, dried fig, followed on the palate by spice and mocha chocolate notes underlying the powerful, concentrated fruit cake flavours.

When we asked Charles Symington, Head Winemaker at Dow, Graham and Warre, to send in samples for our Own Selection from the superb 2011 vintage, he was happy to oblige. After extensive tasting, we concluded the wine made in the style of Graham best captured the essence of this extraordinary year with its precision, purity and power.

The blend is mainly Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, with a small percentage of Souzão sourced from some of the best vineyards of the Douro Superior. The nose glories in notes of gum cistus and violet, and the palate is beautifully rounded, yet with finely etched tannins on the finish – making this vintage, to my mind, the best since 1994.Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Still amazingly youthful, and crimsom in colour, leading on to a fresh, rich and cassis laden nose. Medium-full bodied on the palate and still surprisingly tannic. Very ripe and complete with a long and powerful finish. Approachable now but would benefit from further keeping. Definitely one of the best wines of the vintage.

Chief winemaker, Luis De Sottomayor, explained that this single cask is one of 40 such barrels with an average age of 50 years that Sandeman use for topping-up the 30 and 40 year old Tawnies. The temptation to bottle-up each of these barrels must be very great indeed. But, without them, how would future 30 and 40 year old releases taste? In this case Cask 33 proved just too good to resist. Only 635 litres of this nectar will be released in anticipation of this venerable producer’s 225th anniversary. The beautiful and authentic bottle (and we compared it to a contemporary bottle in our collection here), does justice to the staggeringly complex tawny contained within. One sip wasn’t enough and my note from my first encounter reads as follows: Floral, liquorice, notably honeyed. Excellent mid-palate weight. Super concentrated, hugely complex, and very, very long.Demetri Walters MW, Private Wine Events Manager

Low yielding ancient vines in some very privileged locations (Mendiz, Soutelo and Pisca inter alia) have combined to make what Dirk describes as a ‘perfect year for Vintage Port’, and, tasting the evidence, we are disinclined to demur.

Destemming was not deemed necessary; such was the quality of the vintage. The wine has an incredible dense colour and a pronounced nose of graphite, black tea and spice. Black pepper and dark fruit inform the palate, which is fresh, pure and powerful.Simon Field MW, Port Buyer

The 1966 Sandeman Vintage Porto has a potent menthol/peppermint-scented nose that lends it a medicinal allure, although it lacks the sophistication of the 1963. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a gentle and lilting Sandeman that perhaps lacks the weight and depth on the finish of a top tier 1966. It remains nicely balanced and does not want to make too much of a fuss, though the spearmint note on the aftertaste is just a little too pronounced for my liking. Drink now-2025.Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Jun 2014

Taylor is made from a blend of Quintas Vargellas and Terra Feita with a little addition from Quinta do Junco. It is often the most intellectually satisfying of all of the Vintage Ports and one with the greatest ageing potential. Winemaker David Guimaraens underlines the significance in the rainfall from the previous winter which helped to ensure even ripening, the lack of sunburnt fruit and the inherent integrity of the wine. It has inner strength and stamina, says Managing Director Adrian Bridge, qualities which he particularly values.

Seldom, indeed, has the youthful Taylor declaimed so eloquently at such a young age. Forest floor scents, with notes of peat and herbs provide a worthy overture to the symphonic structure to come. The palate is complete and powerful, with taut acidity, youthful energy and layered complexity all confirming the quality of wine and vintage alike.Simon Field MW, Port Buyer

Dark, inky in colour it is immediately obvious that this is a serious glass of Port. On the nose the dark fruits and cassis intermingle with floral notes, particularly violets – something that I normally associate with Fonseca, but it is very welcome here. The palate is rich and full, mouth-coating with blackcurrant, liquorice and spice. It has a big backbone to it and is taut with a real freshness. This is a stunning Vintage Port and one which will, I suspect, age for a very long time indeed.Matt Tipping, Fine Wine Sales Manager

Purplish crimson. Tarry nose. Very fresh impact on the front palate – very sweet and gorgeous. Where are the tannins? Answer: only on the very end of the palate, and then they are very fine. This is nice wine, I’m just not sure it’ll last that long. Clean and refreshing. The Fladgate Partnership’s new acquisition and the first time Croft has been foot trodden for 40 years.Jancis Robinson MW - jancisrobinson.com – May 05

Taylors have triumphed with their 1997. Even by their standards, this is an exceptional effort. The nose is extraordinarily elegant; a taut tapestry of the sweet and the savoury. Finesse on the palate ensures a completely harmonious integration of sweetness, alcohol and fruit with tight-knit tannins and a real intensity on the finish that emphasises the quality of this Port with measured authority. For many this is the wine of the vintage.

The 2011 Sandeman Vintage Porto has a very precise nose that is imbued with far more clarity than previous vintages: pure black cherries, minerals, creme de cassis and violets, like a super-charged Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, the black cherries intermingling with marmalade, fig and raisin. It is seductive toward the finish, confirming its impressive showing out-of-barrel last year. This is without doubt the finest Sandeman of the modern age. Drink 2018-2040.Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Jun 2014

The 2003 Fonseca has a rich, well-defined bouquet of black cherries, aniseed, kirsch and dark chocolate that is heady and seductive. The palate is full-bodied with sweet ripe fig and mulberry notes forming the entry. There is fatness here, a viscosity that coats the mouth, although fortunately there is acidity to keep everything in balance. Warm on the finish, a hint of eau-de-vie lingers after the Port has departed. This is a harlot of a Port, but there is nothing wrong with that once in a while – just not every year! Anticipated maturity: 2035-2060. Tasted May 2013.Neal Martin - eRobertParker.com #207 Jun 2013

Sporting an opaque, black-colored robe with dark purple trim, the 2003 Fonseca Vintage Port exhibits a nose of profound depth. Its sweet black mass of dark fruit and spice aromas leads to a character of immense depth, richness, and weight. Full-bodied, viscous, and almost impenetrable, this dense, backward port is powerful and exceptionally long in the finish. Possibly the most masculine Fonseca I’ve ever encountered, it coats the taster’s palate with licorice, jammy black fruits, and notes of chocolate that last for over a minute. This blockbuster will require at least three decades to fully blossom.Pierre Rovani - Wine Advocate #161 Oct 2005

Reduced yields, especially at the flagship Quinta do Panascal, explain the uncompromising colour and sheer weight of flavour here, with floral aromatics leading to a palate dominated by dark fruits, chocolate and licorice. Rich and hedonistic, this is authoritative and powerful at the back of the mouth and finishes with aplomb.(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Now in its tenth year of Fladgate ownership, Croft is 100% farmed from the magnificent terraced Quinta da Roêda close to Pinhão and is now also 100% foot-trodden. After a slight dip in 2007, this wine returns to the benchmark set in 2003. A nose of resin, ripe black cherry and gum-cistus cedes to a surprisingly elegant palate, with firm acidity and grippy slightly drying tannins at the finish.(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

When tasting the 2003s for the first time, we kept going back to this wine, as we so often do with Taylor which is surely the most cerebral and complex of all the Vintage Ports. Effortlessly eschewing the excesses of the vintage, 2003 Taylor's Vintage is superb. Dense and inky, with a nose of woodsmoke, cassis, leather and meat, it is richly textured, firmly tannic, with peppery grip and a long, rewarding finish. This is, without doubt, a Vintage Port of the highest quality.

Nearly opaque and virtually inscrutable, this is benchmark Taylor, therefore benchmark Vintage Port. The nose is magnificently complicated already; schist, white pepper, lifted eucalypt and iodine all come to mind, all adding nuance and potential to the core of black fruit and dried flowers. Reticent and brooding at the front of the palate, the quality only becomes evident further back with definition and weight, power and precision, grace and favour, all seemingly contradictory, all effortlessly achieved.(Simon Field MW, Berrys’ Port Buyer)

The 2007 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port is a star of the vintage. Dense purple-colored, it gives up an already complex aromatic array of lavender, Asian spices, incense, and an amalgam of black fruits with a hint of chocolate in the background. Plush and mouth-filling, this large-scaled Port manages an uncanny blending of elegance and power. Long and savory in the finish, it will continue to blossom for another 20+ years and drink well through its 50th birthday if not longer.

The Noval showed a wonderfully rich volume of intensely pure fruit – I’d venture to say it was the most pure and refined of any 2007 I have tasted. Its mass of fruit was followed up with evident tannins – a richer style than some, almost showy, but with an exciting future ahead.(Tom Cave, Berrys’ Cellar Plan Manager)